Love and Hate draw a fine line
by DramioneOTP
Summary: This story starts off at the end of their third year at Hogwarts but will mainly be set in their fourth year. Hermione is making do with her life, but she longs for passion. Its just assumed that she and Ron will be together, but she's 15 and she doesn't want that. Hermione and Draco were enemies, but what will happen when they are forced to spend time together. Please Review!Thank
1. Chapter 1

"You foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach!" I was furious; I had never felt so angry in my life. The entire world was red. I couldn't understand how he could be so selfish and spoilt as to take pleasure in other people's pain. It was sick!  
Draco Malfoy had pale blonde floppy hair, which fell into his eyes, his molten grey eyes that had undoubtedly broke many hearts. All I wanted to do was punch the smirk off of his pale white face. So I did. I brought my fist back and slammed it into his jaw as his cronies looked on in absolute shock that a 'mudblood' would dare do such a thing. It felt SO good, I almost didn't want to admit the pleasure I felt as Malfoy ran off shouting foul insults that I couldn't care less about. I had heard them all before.  
To think that in my first year I had such a huge crush on him. His casual arrogance was seen as cocky indifference, his manner of owning the school extremely attractive. Of course none of those things had changed, but I was able to see him for what he really was. A coward and a bully. My father had always joked that I needed a bad boy influence as I was so clever and sensible, in a way I agree. One of the best things about being friends with Ron and Harry is that life is never dull. They are always planning practical jokes and messing around and there always seems to be an adventure on the horizon.  
"Come on then, let's go and help Hagrid" I said, shaking the pain from my fist and turning to see the looks of awe on Harry and Ron's faces.  
"Bloody brilliant" muttered Ron.  
I smiled and then chagrin hit me for Buckbeak and we all headed for Hagrid.  
A week later Harry, Ron and I were sitting in the Three Broom Sticks celebrating Harry's first legal outing to Hogsmeade with his signature from his uncle, Sirius Black. We were discussing the Quidditch World Cup and the fact that Ron's dad had managed to get us tickets. Usually I didn't like Quidditch, but the prospect of being at such a historic event with my best friends had undeniably got me excited.  
Just then Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini walked into the pub and took a seat at one of the only available tables that just so happened to be next to ours.  
"Potter," Draco sneered, "Weasel, Granger."  
I was shocked, whereas Malfoy had spat out Ron and Harry's names, he had said my name with an indifference that was bored, but also something else, if I hadn't known that Malfoy was incapable of it, I would have said it was respect. What's more, he had actually said my name, not Mudblood, not muggle. But my actual name. Well my last name, but that's just a minor detail.  
This fact didn't go unnoticed by Ron or Harry, and even Draco looked a bit shocked. Draco cleared his throat and carried on talking about whatever it was he and Blaise had been talking about before. Harry gave me a curious look before he went back to reviewing the pros and cons of the Firebolt. As this topic did not give me many chances to talk, even though i had read 'Quidditch through the ages' more than a few times, i couldn't help but listen in to Malfoy and Blaises conversation, about Lethifolds that had been recently discovered in the regions around Blaises house, which was odd as they only usually resided in tropical climates and I knew that Blaise lived somewhere in Wales.  
All too soon it was time to return to Hogwarts, and my little group was joined by Neville on the walk back. He had just been in Madame Makin's buying his grandmother a present who insisted compensation in the form of luxury for looking after Neville in the holidays.  
"I can't believe it's time to go home tomorrow," stated Ron, "Harry, Mum says she will send your Uncle and Aunt a letter about Staying at ours for the World Cup. Oh, and Hermione, you too."  
"Great."  
"So excited." Harry and I enthused at the same time.  
The next day came all too soon and suddenly it was time to say goodbye as they were at Kings Cross station.  
"You'll see, soon enough we will be back here saying hi and boarding the train back to Hogwarts," I said with a sympathetic smile at Harry's forlorn expression of the thought of going back to the Dursley's, ."Next year will be the best yet, you'll see."

I went through the brick wall barrier separating Platform 9 and ¾ from the rest of the station, who were not accustomed to magic and the Hogwarts express, and started the search for my parents in the throng of people heading out of the station to the world outside. My parents are what muggles would call rich, but Wizards, not so much. They were both dentists and so we had a comfortable life. My mother was an ordinary looking woman, her features were pretty in a subtle way. She had long flowing straight mousey brown hair and opal shaped eyes of a deep green, she was thin and always wore a smile. I never looked much like my mother.

Now I was a lot more like my father. We shared an eye colour, both of our eyes chocolaty brown with huge pupils and we both had curly brown hair that had golden streaks in the sun. Almost every female teacher I had in primary school asked about my mother and whether my dad was single or not after parents evening as my mother always worked the evening call as a dentist as she preferred to stay home during the day to do the necessary work in keeping out house presentable and make sure our family ran smoothly, and I would politely say

"Yes, going on 15 years now," and smile at their faces, somewhat disappointed yet not able to say to me,

"Oh damn it, I wish your mother was dead."

Now, I hugged my parents and told them how much I had missed them and we walked towards our car, swapping stories of our year and our plans for the summer holidays. I did not see the blonde haired boy walking by himself to the underground, nor did I see him stare after me with a somewhat regretful expression on his face. I did not know that he had been planning to apologise. I would have laughed in anyone's face who told me Draco Malfoy was sorry for the names he called me and that he didn't actually think I was ugly, but the most beautiful girl in Hogwarts.

There was something about Hermione Granger. I couldn't put my finger on it. I always thought she was a smart, but annoying mudblood who was not even worthy of my time. Lately though, I had begun to change my mind. There was a fire, a passion in her eyes that I had never seen before, this sounds crazy, but when she punched me it showed me that there were other sides to this girl and I wanted to understand her more. I also never realised how pretty she was, and that scared me. I needed to snap out of this. What would my Father say to me liking a mudblood.


	2. Chapter 2

We ran for the platform, Ron's plump mother shouting at us to have a good year and work hard as we hauled our bags along to station. Bill was envious that he couldn't go back to Hogwarts and we were all curious as to why this was, Ron more than the rest of us. Muggles stared at us as we rushed to the wall between nine and ten, it occurred to me in passing that most muggles aren't accustomed to seeing teenagers with owls in 'fancy dress robes' (We changed beforehand to give us more time in the train, plus we always forgot to change into our robes and it usually resulted in us half-dressed stumbling about an empty train). I barely had time to flinch as we ran head long into the brick wall and appeared at the other side. Clutching stiches in our sides, we lugged our belongings onto the scarlet steam train and found ourselves a mercilessly empty compartment.

We discussed what could be happening this year until Harry told us to be quiet as he heard Malfoy's voice outside. Malfoy was boasting as usual, I had had enough and so I went and slid the compartment door closed. Soon enough we were at Hogwarts, and I was happy that the first face I saw was Hagrid. I was so cold that we all hurried into the castle and sat down for an amazing welcome back feast that was well worth the wait.

…

"Ron would you stop groaning PLEASE!" I snapped, "Hagrid is our friend and everyone else hates his class, so we have to stay positive for him!"

"I should have given this class up, and look, we have it with the Slytherins again, oh joy unbounded!" Ron retorted sarcastically with a snort.

"Oh shut up, you'll have to learn to suck it up" I snarled.

Ron's selfish indifference annoyed me to no end. Had he always been this bad? Everyone seems to assume that when we're older we will date. I'm pretty sure Ron assumed it as well. What if I don't want that? I love Ron sure, he is my best friend along with Harry and Ginny, but he is spoilt, selfish and often cruel in the subtlest form. In one word, Ron is safe. He is the easy option. He likes me, and we get on. Blah Blah Blah. I have never been a girl who takes the easiest way, the safest way, I enjoy the challenge, and Ron isn't it.

We headed down to Hagrid's shabby hut for our first lesson, Care of Magical creatures. When we got down there, we had a short wait for the arrival of our professor Hagrid (that title still made me smile in amusement a little). This gave me the opportunity to survey the Slytherins who would be joining us for our lessons that year. I scanned the crowd and my eyes rested upon Draco Malfoy. My heart started to race and I blushed. He was looking straight at me with a frustrated look on his face. I quickly glanced away, but the image of him had burned into my mind.

Draco had obviously been somewhere hot this summer, as his usually translucent skin, though still extremely pale, was a more tanned colour than before, and I had to admit that it was most becoming. His hair was also a more honeyed colour of blond and his usually straight limp hair had been styled to a more current type, and he looked….. Fit. But his eyes were the biggest change, his grey eyes were still the same colour, but they seemed to have thawed. When he looked at me I could almost see, happiness. I sneaked another look in his direction and saw that he was looking near me at Ron, his eyes back to the hard steel of last year. How odd, I mused.

Seeing Hermione again in my first class was like letting go of a breath. I was happy to see that she was well and ok. I flicked my eyes away from her and pondered this. She had been on my mind a lot during the holidays and I was annoyed at myself for being happy to see her. I looked at her again and saw that she was looking at me to my amusement and slight pleasure, when she saw me looking she blushed and quickly looked away. As she did so she shifted, and in doing so moved closer to that imp, Ron Weasley. I wondered what that git had that I didn't, and why everyone was saying that Hermione and Ron would eventually end up together. I cursed myself for being just a tad bit jealous at this and was mentally telling myself off when Ron leaned down and whispered something into Hermione's ear and my jealousy rang out more prominent that before. I longed to be able to talk to this mysterious girl and yet I knew that I wasn't worthy to after all the names I had called her. For Merlin's sake I only said those things because I wanted to make my father proud. I didn't want to be a cruel person, it just wasn't me. The fight I had with my father in the holidays was when I really realised that making my father proud was a damn near impossible thing to do and maybe I didn't want it. Being sadistic and mean was the reason I have a scar running down my back, and the reason I can't hear out of my left ear. Did I really want that? Did I want to do the same to my son when I was older? No.

Just then Hagrid, the oaf, came out of his hut with a grin on his face.

"All right you lot," He said in his nearly incomprehensible drawl, "this year is going to be a bit different as the ministry want witches and wizards of yur age to learn 'ow to take on responsibilities and learn 'ow to get on with others that you might not necessarily chose to work with and such. So, the good news first eh? You lot 'ave no exam this year!"

The whole class cheered apart from me and Granger, this made me smile as I knew that she was the only other person who only felt accomplishment through statistics, unlike the others in this school.

Hagrid continued, "Now for the not so good news then. To add the theme of this year for getting on wi' new people, you'll find out wha' im going on bout this evening, you will all be put into pairs and your assignment for the year is to keep your animal alive and well for the entire year, with a grade at the end. An I see you guys edgin for yer mates, but the pairs will be pulled out a hat and you will be magically binded to this person, tha' means no swappin."

I rolled my eyes and when we were told to stand facing Hagrid and his old, worn out beanie hat I complied. Pair by pair, Slytherins slinked off to the side-lines with their Gryffindor counterpart to watch the rest of our fates and then find out their animal project. I watched Blaise paired off with Longbottom, he groaned from beside me and trudged over to Longbottom, muttering something about demanding Quidditch practises that took priority. I watched amused, as Pansy flipped her hair in Potters face and told him that she would not be wrecking her nails for him any time soon.

Suddenly my name was called and I was woken from my day dream about Babbitty Rabbitty turning into the tree that I was currently leaning on. I looked up in time to hear that I was to be partnered with none other than Miss Granger herself. I had no idea how to feel about this, other than the fact that I would have to spend ample amounts of time with her. I smirked slightly and looked at Hermione. She was looking at me and I swear I saw her smile just a bit. I swanned over to her and winked, I had no idea where my confidence was coming from, but I was grateful it was there.

"Malfoy," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Granger," I returned with just the same regards. "I wonder what animal we will be getting."


	3. Chapter 3

When mine and Draco's names were called we stepped forward to pick our animal out of another hat. I stepped forward with trepidation. Knowing Hagrid, the chances of getting a dragon egg to look after was not a possibility to be ruled out. The blue faded fez hat was crammed to the brim with names, and I felt slightly sick at the murky future and how many fingers I would possess.

I looked to Draco.

"Care to do the honours?" He said with a smirk.

I was too panicked at that moment to care about his arrogance that was one of the most annoying things in a person in my opinion.

"Erm, ok," I stammered. I reached into the fez to pull out a piece of paper. Praying that it wasn't a Chimaera or an Acromantula like those in the forbidden forest in second year that Ron and Harry had told me about, I unfolded the ragged parchment with trembling fingers. The instant I saw the name, I let out a small breath. This wasn't bad, not bad at all. Not life threatening at least.

"Granger, what is it?" came Draco's voice, which still held a trace of worry although at the sight of the look on Hermione's face, which was relief mingled with a tinge of chagrin, he was not completely panicking.

"I was 'oping you wud get that Hermione," Hagrid said with a grin, as he was looking over Hermione's shoulder and reading what he could of the paper through her hair, that was usually bushy but Hermione had made an effort to calm it down for the first day back in lessons, "as it is in the Forbidden forest an I can't trust many student to go in there. "

"I won't let you down Hagrid," the nerd in Hermione beamed. She relished in the fact that she was deemed trustable and reliable. "And Malfoy, we have the Clabbert." Hermione added as she could see Draco working himself up into a famous Malfoy tantrum. At the blank look on Draco's face, Hermione began to recite from 'Fantastic Beasts and where to find them.' "A Clabbert is a classification 2 tree dwelling creature that looks like a cross between a monkey and a frog. It originated in the southern parts of America. It has hairless skin in a bottled green colour and its long legs and arms have webbed feet at the bottom. Its most distinctive feature is the large pustule…."

"In the back of its head that turns scarlet and flashes when there's danger. Yea thanks Granger I just needed reminding, not a history lesson." Draco said, but not, as Hermione noted, in his usually arrogant voice but in a softer drawl with a hint of laughter and a smile, and Hermione found that she couldn't help but smile back at him. "Well Granger, this shouldn't be too bad, apart from the thought of spending so much time with you."

Just as Hermione was about to reply with a gripe comment, Hagrid interrupted.

"Right class," his booming voice echoed around the patch of grass by the forbidden forest they were resigning in, "Fer the rest o' the lesson you will be discussing the best ways of lookin' after yer animals and coming up with a plan on when you will meet outside er lesson time." Hagrid then said in a side to Hermione and Draco, "You guys best be off into the forest now to find yer Clabbert, as it could be pretty much anywhere in the forest at this point."

I looked to Draco and he shrugged.

"I guess we'd better be off then," he shrugged.

"Alright," I replied, as we made our way through the forest, which I had been in too many times for it to scare me, I looked around. The forest was teeming with life and I could see magical beasts in every corner. There were rumours of unicorns and I so hoped I would finally get to see one in real life, as as a child I always dreamed of meeting a unicorn, only to be told that they didn't exist. When that topic was thoroughly considered and I was beginning to get bored, I considered the famous Draco Malfoy compared to the one I had been acquainted with recently. The sudden change that had occurred over his summer and the courtesy he was treating me with now. How odd that I could be walking through a dark forest with a Malfoy and not feel as though I should run for cover or stupefy him when his back was turned. I shaked these thoughts away as I could feel them getting more complicated and it was too early for them.

Hermione looked deep in thought and I wasn't in the mood to interrupt them as I found the forest calming and also, though I wouldn't admit it, the intensity in Hermione's eyes was a little bit frightening. With all the silence I was able to ponder my summer, and the events which I witnessed.

I was walking through our manor, shouting for our house elf whose name I couldn't for the life of me remember. I inwardly cursed Potter for tricking my father and taking away our only competent house elf, although Dobby was terrible at cleaning, he did make an amazing ice cream, and in the hot July weather, that sundae was all I could think about. I considered the possibility of our new house elf being in the dungeon with my father, who spent most of his days down there, and decided it was worth a look.

I hated going down to the dungeon. I wasn't ignorant. I knew that when I was sent to my room for a few hours just after a knock at the door, the people at the door would walk away happy, apart from one, who wouldn't walk away. I knew that the dungeon held horror. I was fine with never being a part of it. Of sitting in my room playing MCR, yes a muggle band but a bloody brilliant one, as loudly as possible and playing with whatever house elf my parents sent up to see to me. But then, my father took me into a room. I remember the day, a Wednesday in the Christmas holidays. Father told me of how his duty to the Dark Lord was an honour, and how that honour would soon be mine. Ever since then, I was not sent to my room, nor was I sent to the dungeon. How I wished I could be sent to my room, the screams that reverberated around the house were horrific, the stuff of nightmares.

My father had been in the dungeons for days so I was pretty sure that there would be no-one down there and so it was safe. I hurried down the dank corridor and down the shabby stairs, the only time shabby was appropriate in my house. Wait. What…..? I could hear a hushed noise. I edged down the stairs and to the black door with peeling paint that was ajar. Voices. One of them, my father. The other, I didn't recognise. I pushed my ear to the crack between the door and the wall, and instantly regretted it. For what I saw I would never be able to unsee. A dark room with no lights, only a single candle on the floor in one corner, shackles on the walls made for holding people up, and a single table in the middle of the room made of black marble, with cuffs strategically placed to pin defenceless souls to the table, but most dominantly my father, non-verbally casting spells at a man so weak in the shackles that held him that he could no longer stand or talk or scream in pain, just writhe as spell after spell assaulted him. Why? Why was father doing this?

"MUDBLOOD!" I heard my father shout.

Oh. Mudblood. I could have left it there, thought, hey this mudblood deserves it. Then I could walk away and carry on looking for the rotten house elf. But I couldn't. This man did not deserve this. I felt sick. I was in a trace, unable to look away from the catastrophe in front of me. Right then I made myself a promise. I would not end up like this. I would not hurt people unjustly. I would not discriminate. All I ever wanted was my father's praise and approval, and to do so I called people names, hurt people. Made them cry. And it wasn't fair. I walked away from the dungeon. Not with a house elf, but with the realisation that I no longer wanted the praise of my father. All I had gone down for was ice-cream.

I regretted not doing anything to help that man in our dungeon. But what could I actually have done? I was 14 for Merins sake; I couldn't perform half the spells my father did with such ease. I shook these thoughts from my head and stared into the forbidden forest. I looked to Hermione and as I did so caught a glimpse of a large pustule that was currently flashing scarlet. Great, we had found the Clabbert, but why was its pustule flashing, what was the danger?


	4. Chapter 4

My Thoughts of Draco's recent change of attitude towards me came to a halt when I tripped and nearly fell over a branch. I felt my cheeks go red. Turning to look at Draco I noticed he himself was deep I thought and hadn't noticed that I tripped. I shoved my hands in my pockets not quite sure where to look. Suddenly I saw a flash of crimson. Draco turned to look at me the same moment I turned to look at him. I nodded minutely withdrawing my wand from my pocket.

I Circle around Cautiously looking for what has set off the Clabbert. Draco Who is doing the same also has his wand out knowing that clabberts make no mistakes when it comes to danger. Suddenly the sound of something or someone nearby could be heard. I freeze. Suddenly Draco Gasps and I know He's seen it.

Im a seeker. I have been trained to have keen eyesight and be able to spot small moving objects. While this was neither small nor an object I could spot it all the same. There hiding in the trees was a manticore. A manticore is a beast with the body of a lion and a human head. Now I didn't need Granger to tell me that it was dangerous because of its very obvious three rows of teeth. I barely notice the fact that I involuntarily gasp. My only thoughts are to save Granger.

I instantly turn to where Draco was looking. I see it. It's a manticore. I whisper quietly, "Don't kill it. Just stun it, so we can get out of here." I see Draco nod his head in response as the manticore stalks slowly towards it. The tables need to turn. Right now we are the prey. If I wasn't scared out of my mind I would appreciate the fact that an animal that big could move as gracefully and silently as the manticore did. No. I was busy shouting all the spells I could think of that wouldn't badly harm the animal.

"Stupefy"

"Petrificus Totalus"

"Locomotor Mortis"

When Granger asked me to not hurt the animal. I didn't even need to think about it. I had made a vow I would never hurt anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. Granger and I shouted out spells hoping it would keep the animal from attacking us. The end result would be quite funny if we both weren't scared out of our minds the manticore was on the ground with all its legs stuck together which also happened to be tied up. It didn't even cross my mind the fact that Granger and I are not friends when I grabbed her hand running out of the forest.

The adrenaline in my veins was still running high so when Draco grabbed my hand I had no problem sprinting the whole way until we got back to Hagrid's hut. Suddenly I was exhausted. I practically dropped to the ground, and Draco didn't look much better. He was standing up with a look of pure shock on his face and mumbling things I couldn't quite understand.

"Granger…Danger."

I laughed not knowing quite how to respond. "Your Vocabulary has been limited to two words?" I asked raising an eyebrow. Obviously that was the wrong thing to say because he instantly straightened up his eyes going hard emotionless. I don't know why but this hurt. I was in pain when he wouldn't open up to me, but that couldn't be true. I had no claim on Draco whatsoever. We aren't friends. I stood up too looking anywhere but at Draco.

I whispered softly, "Thanks." I was hoping Draco would open up again.

"Your welcome," and with a firm nod in my direction Draco spun on his heels walking more gracefully than even the manticore.

In a not so great mood I walked over to where Blaise was standing obviously frustrated with his partner, Longbottom. Blaise spotted me walking towards him and smirked.

"Having fun with Granger?" Blaise was sitting against a tree with his hands over his eyes to shield them from the sun. I sat next to him crossing my arms frowning.

"Shut up Blaise" I snapped. In Reply he held his hands up in defense. Blaise is lucky. His family isn't in the inner circle of deatheaters. His future hasn't already been decided. He has a choice of whether he wants to join or not. I know he never will. Sure Blaise is annoying but he isn't cruel or vicious. I listen to Blaise argue with Longbottom and soon it changes from amusing to just irritating. I switched my attention to Granger. She was standing with Potter and Weaselbee. They seemed to be having some sort of argument. Granger was standing in a defensive position with her arms crossed and her cheeks flushed. She stood facing Weasley who looked angry. Lets just say his face matched the color of his hair. Potter was just standing there looking lost. Obviously not sure which side to pick. They were to far away for me to hear what was going on and I was debating whether to go listen.

Not long after Draco stalked off Ron and Harry came over. Harry was awkwardly tagging along behind Ron who looked angry. What now?

"Hermione What were you doing holding hands with Malfoy?" Ron tapped his foot waiting for an answer. I rolled my eyes.

"Why can't I hold hands with Draco?" I instantly felt myself go on the defensive.

"It's Draco now? His father's a deatheater Hermione." Ron glared at me.

"Yes Ronald his father. Not him. It's not like you own me. I can do whatever I want with whomever I want. If I want to be friends with Draco that's my problem." I turned around planning to make a dramatic exit when I saw Draco running away. Did he hear what I said? Was I wrong? Is Draco exactly like I thought he was? I didn't even notice the fact that I was running after him.


End file.
